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Game On: Fuel Economy Bill Hits the House
4/12/07

Hi everyone, sorry it’s been so long since I’ve posted, but Spring Break was calling.  Now that I’m back, I thought I’d share a good piece we had in our last Driving Change Network newsletter. 

As you know, we at UCS see hybrid vehicles not as an end unto itself, but as a leading edge in the mix of technologies available right now to reduce U.S. oil dependence and global warming pollution on a fleet-wide basis. We are therefore quite excited about the renewed interest in meaningful changes to our long-dormant Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) system. UCS Washington Representative Eli Hopson spoke at the press conference for the launch of one of the most promising initiatives. Here’s his report back:

A few weeks ago, I spoke at a press conference around the introduction of the Fuel Economy Reform Act, H.R. 1506, which would dramatically improve the fuel economy of the cars and trucks on America’s roads. Bill sponsors Ed Markey (D-MA) and Todd Platts (R-PA) were joined in support by a remarkably bipartisan list of 37 original cosponsors including Representatives Hilda Solis (D-CA), Mike Castle (R-DE), and Chris Shays (R-CT). Also speaking in support of the bill were James Woolsey, former director of the CIA, William Odom, a former director of the National Security Agency, as well as representatives from the Consumer Federation of America and the National Council of Churches.

The broad-based constituencies coming together created a palpable feeling of optimism (though standing outside in a gorgeous Spring day in Washington didn’t hurt either) that the political will was finally present to increase the fuel economy of the nation’s cars and trucks after 20 years of delay. This sense of optimism on fuel economy has been growing in Washington recently. The November elections brought in a host of new members who may have a different viewpoint on energy security and global warming than their predecessors, President Bush announced in his State of the Union his goal to cut gasoline consumption, and long-time opponents of fuel economy increases are now signing on in support of strong legislation!

Before you think this is going to be a cakewalk, however, let’s remember that the White House’s words can be full of sound and fury, and as Congressman Markey points out, signify nothing. And we have other obstacles we’re up against as well. The House Energy and Commerce committee Chairman John Dingell (D-MI) recently held his own fuel economy hearing. Dingell, long-time friend of the auto industry, seems to be stuck in 1955, long before the first oil crisis when cities were ripping up trolley tracks to put in GM buses, and the argument of the day was whether requiring seat belts would put the auto industry out of business. Friends of the industry trotted out tired arguments against increasing fuel economy, disregarding the benefits to consumers from saving money on gasoline, to the environment from reduced emissions, and to our national security from reducing our dependence on oil.

With no witnesses from outside the industry, the discussion was mostly self-congratulatory. Would automakers be willing to work with the Committee on regulating carbon? Yes, the witnesses said, absolutely, as long as the burden was placed “upstream” and was tradeable across sectors (this is executive-speak for “let someone else do it”). Hasn’t the auto industry already done so much to reduce carbon emissions and increase fuel economy? Again the witnesses said yes, pointing to their investments in flex-fuel vehicles (which today actually allow the manufacturers to decrease their fuel economy) and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (an investment highly subsidized by the government, and not likely to be available to consumers anytime soon).

Yet, even in this alternate reality, there were signs that the façade is cracking. Chairman Dingell himself said that it is no longer good enough for the automakers to say what they cannot do, they must also offer solutions. Hopefully those solutions will actually reduce our oil dependence, reduce global warming emissions, and save consumers money. We are letting congressional representatives know that support for the Fuel Economy Reform Act is a good place to start.

If you want to learn more about the Fuel Economy Reform Act, and take action to urge your representative to support the bill, click here.

Posted by: ScottN 4/12/07

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